Life after lottery win?

Two years ago I was lucky enough to win a substantial amount playing lottery, just over 55 million dollars. I was 26 at the time, in my last year of law school with a girlfriend of 3 years. It was great obviously, I bought a house, cars, travelled and helped a lot of family and friends. No I didn't spend all the money now, in fact with investments I have more now than 2 years ago. What I don't have is true friends, I broke up with my girlfriend because she became obsessive and only cared about money. So many friends and family did the same. It's so hard to meet new people now because I never knew if it's the material things or me. Don't get me wrong money buys you a lot but happiness it buys is definitely not permanent..so how do you try and live a good life in this situation?

so this problem is not the money but prior you were too busy to realize it

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Anonymous

2 months ago

Do the best you can. There's no easy answer. I was a child star so I learned very young how people and money mix. When the money is gone so will they be also. I hope you meet the one and have a happy family.

It's a shame that you did not tick the anonymous box then you'd have been left alone. You could have brought some of the money out a little later saying you'd won that much smaller amount and treated everyone and then taken your time about how to handle the remainder. I hope you still have plenty left. If so then invest it wisely - just in the account that will give you the best interest for now and then seek advice from someone who really knows. Don't buy anything that does not appreciate in value. You have a lot of life ahead of you and will have a really serious need of that money one day. Ensure now that it WILL be there for you when that day arrives. When the constant gifts end the hangers-on will all disappear - you'll be of no use to them then, sadly. This is how you sort out the chaff from the wheat though.

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I am sure it is hard. But a lot of wealthy people handle it and have good friends. Its how you treat others, and if you brag, boast, or just talk too much about things you have, bought, around people who are struggling to get by. People like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian who not only bought, but showed off a 5 million dollar watch, and an 8 million dollar engagement ring. Even before the scare of this Corona 19, illness, 1/3 of the people on this planet live in poverty, we are talking about 100's of million people who live in a cardboard box, a hut, have no running water, no refrigerator, no electricity, no phone, no internet. And most survive on 1 meal a day, and more than half are children. So sometime when we are very young, and given a lot of money we forget how hard most people have it. And sometimes when we help family and friends out, we think we are very good people so we can go crazy, and buy stupid things. Yes it is your money, and you have the right to do what ever you want. But think for a second how a family, friend or even someone you run into, regularly, who are making minimum wage, and barely surviving, maybe look like they are doing OK, but are buying cheap unhealthy food, or going without, maybe eating 1 meal a day 1-3 times a week. And you come in with a $2,000 suit, a $200,000 car. Maybe a $50,000 watch. Can you see, how mentioning you bought even a $10,000 watch, to people who are barely making enough money and working 40-60 hours a week. That is why if you have millions, you will need to live around people who have or make millions. Or live a life style close to the people you live near. Yes you have money and you can do whatever you want with it, But how you live does effect others. And being able to throw away, more money then most people make in a year, is hurtful. I did not have, as much money then you, but I had a job that had me travel around the world, when I was 26yrs old. I met some amazing people. on a day or few days off, I went from one end of Europe to the other. And I was excited about traveling. Even though in the first 5 yrs I was struggling even taking left over food from work, before they threw it away. My family was upset I talked about going to Africa, Paris, Germany. Since my work got me there for free and I was paid $50 a day for expenses, A day off was a vacation. In my later yrs, I worked the system and every other month I work an overtime job, got paid 2-3 times and had 2-3 days off in another country. I was like a kid in a candy store. my hotel was paid for, I was making $2000 extra, ans still paid $50 a day. Can you imagine my sister or old friends who work 40-60 hours a week, making $2000 in a month, and I come home excited, I had 3 days off in Paris, and made $2000 in a week. And sometimes I when I knew I was going to be in the same country, I bought a train pass, where I can travel unlimited travel for 3 months I could have 2-3 day vacations for less money then people spend in a week on 2-3 dates. You are able to do anything you want and if you were smart, put a good amount, 10 million in a trust fund An annuity when you would get 4-6% interest no matter what. That would earn you sitting on your butt $500,000 a year. As for how to find friends beside not throwing even inadvertently brag about your money, be a friend. Listen to people, and do not be in a hurry to help anyone, or fix their problem. Just listen and let them vent a little . Most of the time people just need to vent their sadness, and setbacks, before they do what they know they need to do without any help or money from you. Unless you do it without them knowing it. I lost everything. I am living with my sister, and it is killing me. Besides needing help, I have little privacy. But a friend offered me a trailer I could sell, for free. I could sell it for $3000-$5000. It would have helped a lot, but it was too much. I refused it. Hope this helps in some way.

I used to come here years ago when I was in university, that's why I asked here. With all this quarantine and social distancing I've been thinking more about life in general. I don't mind helping friends, I actually enjoy it and I'm glad I can do it but when I feel like that's all that matters that's when that feeling of joy disappears.

I've done pretty much everything I thought I wanted to do "one day", in these years I went from being extremely happy and thinking who cares about people who only see me as someone to provide for them to thinking how I'd like to have a few food friends, meet a woman to have a family with without having to worry if there's an ulterior motive.

No I don't advertise wealth, I went as far as buying just a regular condo and a 2 year old civic for when I meet a woman (I've been using match), it may sound crazy but I thought that way I can meet the real her and she can see me for a person first. This was 8 months ago, I met one woman and after 2 months I told her the truth, that's when she changed and suddenly wanted to go shipping and to Bora Bora with me.

I can't take anything I own once this is all over and I truly miss being happy..

To meet true friends it's hard but it's possible. Not everybody cares about money or status. But to live a good life in that situation, you just have to face whatever comes at you. Life is gonna be rough but you have to pull through that. People that have a large sum of money tend to find a lot of fake people and friends and they don't know it. In order to live past that moment if you have to forgive that they used you for money and forget about them. Go out and find some people that you don't know and from the bottom of your heart you should know that they won't use you. Follow your heart and you will know the truth. You will find that living the life of wealth and luxury is easy and hard at the same time, but just follow your heart and you will find that it is easy to live a good life in that situation.